Shelagh Dolan

I wrote a weekly internal newsletter at HubSpot for years. Everyone knows that. What most people don't know is what that newsletter DID. I've talked before (and written) about how the WIN was more than just a fun little internal newsletter with links to cool wiki posts and pictures of adorable coworkers (and sometimes their dogs). Okay, it was that. And. It was a powerful means of conveying our cultural values to every employee at the company. Of putting our values into action, in their inboxes. Week after week. Not by spelling them out in the banner or sidebar or anything like that. But by showing them what it looked like to express those values in writing. In what you said. And how you said it. Your values as expressed in content. You know what that is? It's your voice. Your voice is your values. Or heck, it should be. You tell the world who you are with every word you write. Internally. Externally. In wiki posts, blog posts, renewal emails. With every word you leave in. Every word you leave out. In all my years of defining, documenting, and training people how to write and design in a consistent voice, nothing has ever come close to being as effective as writing a weekly newsletter that people will actually read. Hard facts: Nobody, but nobody, cares about your style guide. But they care about their own lives. And If you write about THAT, and about other things they care about, and you do it in a clear voice, over time, it sticks. Eventually, that voice gets stuck inside people's heads. It becomes like a song we're all humming, but we don't really know why. And when a salesperson writes the next email, or a support rep responds to the next chat, or a marketer writes their next blog post... it all becomes part of the same song. I won't pretend this was all part of some masterful plan from the start. It was mostly a happy accident, the way it turned out. But I learned so much from that accident. As one often does. I learned that people will read things if you make it about them. I learned that people will read things if it makes them smile. It also helps if it's a bit playful and fun. And pictures of dogs. They will read it for that. And that shared act of reading? it can make your voice scale. Better than that, it can make your voice sing. I loved chatting with MK Getler-Porizkova about all this and more on the latest episode of the Loop & Tie 🎁 podcast, The Connected Brand. Link to the full episode in comments, and anywhere else you love streaming your pods.

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Is LinkedIn helping advertisers succeed? Or is it just pushing them to spend more? In the latest episode of The Lucky Orange Show, AJ Wilcox reveals a major way LinkedIn's default campaign settings can hinder your ROI. AJ also advises brands to avoid these pitfalls: → Using LinkedIn's Audience Expansion → Getting overwhelmed by ad types and targeting options → Fearing CPM/CPC numbers compared to Meta Check out the full conversation over on the Lucky Orange YouTube or Spotify channels. 🍊 . . . . . . . #linkedin #linkedinads #luckyorange #linkedintips #marketing

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Google’s third-party cookies phase out leaves no room for mismanagement of data. 🍪 As marketers we must now explore alternative strategies to achieve desired results and address the challenges posed by limitations in data tracking.   To increase conversion, marketers need to look into varying tactics to target customers across content, search and paid looking to ways to offer new users the choice to submit personal information.  Partnership, influencers and review sites are also worth exploring to compensate for the loss of reach via third-party cookies.  At Exclaimer, we've witnessed a growing trend among our customers who are increasingly leveraging personalisation including email signature marketing, to facilitate personalized, one-to-one communication. This approach not only nurtures trust between sender and recipient but also fosters stronger relationships.  Focusing on creating a strong human-centric brand and the personalization of content at scale are no longer luxuries but necessities for standing out. How are you navigating the zero-click world? ⬇️ 

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With summer upon us and with sweltering heat everywhere, I figure now is a good time for a hot take on modern marketing measurement Here it is: Meaningful differentiation between MMM solution A vs MMM solution B vs MMM solution C is very hard for the average marketer to discern and so what really matters in picking a solution is the service level that the provider offers. It’s also the case that using and interpreting an MMM properly requires a fair amount of experience and many / most marketers today don’t yet fully have the needed expertise. This reality makes high levels of service and hand-holding from the service provider extra important - and arguably the most important criterion in picking a measurement partner. Agree? Disagree? Sort of agree, but sort of disagree? I’m excited to hear different perspectives!

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Should you be investing in new buyer enablement content or optimizing your old one? I've been noticing that may teams don't get a lot of support with the pre-launch and the post-launch parts of content rollout. If you know that the lead magnet / report / resource bundle is bringing in the right prospects (and you would like to see more of them), then it might make sense to optimize at least these elements: >> landing page >> nurturing sequence for new downloads >> recurring promotional posts on socials It's less of a heavy lift that building a new asset from scratch, so seems like an easy win - assuming you know which buyer enablement assets are working. What do you think? Do you do content funnel maintenance and optimization? If yes, what are the outcomes? If not, why not?

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“Can you make an editorial calendar? It can be quick.” 🫣 I’m guessing every content marketer has been asked to create an editorial calendar in their role. Watch my video to see 4 things I’ve done wrong when making editorial calendars during my time at Salesforce. Managing an editorial calendar SHOULD be pretty straightforward. At its most basic level, an editorial calendar answers three questions: 🎤 What’s being posted? 🧐 When? ☕️ Where? But I’ve run into plenty of complexity when managing editorial calendars over the years. Questions come up like: 😛 This calendar is too detailed. Where’s the exec-facing view? 🤓 Can we include <these other company milestones> in the calendar? 🤠 How do these individual pieces of content support <these company themes or priorities>? 🤩 Who is the audience for this? How much content are we making for each audience? You can up-level the complexity of your content calendar depending on the size of your company and what you’re trying to do. Our editorial calendars at Salesforce are now pretty robust. 😂 But ultimately, I think content marketers should be focused on making a rock-solid content strategy first. THEN you use the calendar as an important planning tool in your toolkit. Making a great editorial calendar is usually not “quick.” But it’s definitely valuable. If your current calendar is not working for you, change it up! ✌️ Check out the video for more editorial calendar pitfalls from my experience. What’s your approach to editorial calendars? Simple or fancy? Updated by many folks, or managed by one content lead? I’d love to know! Shoutout to my bud Devin Reed for requesting the topic of editorial calendars! I’m open to more suggestions, y’all.

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You go through so much manual work to get the perfect email out the door to maximize performance - precision segmentation and targeting, brilliant copywriting and editing, QA loops for days on end, all those expensive change requests. 🫠 But do you have any idea if your creative, the element that arguably has the most impact on the performance of the campaign, is working as hard as you are? 🤔 Find out what happened when I was read into the biggest secret in marketing and why you and your team don't have to operate in the dark anymore with Movable Ink Da Vinci. 💡 Interested in turning the lights on for your talented team? Drop us a line to get started and you can be using data, not guesswork, to make decisions and improve performance by this peak season - https://lnkd.in/ebPue-Nc

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Joke: Why did the content marketer cross the road? Answer: Because they couldn't take the funnel anymore. With content existing in a connected system of touchpoints, creating content without a nuanced distribution strategy in place leads to operational inefficiency and $$$$'s left on the table, as well as increased customer attrition long-term. To solve for this, business leaders should not only zoom out with their content strategy and consider the totality of the content ecosystem as a whole, they also need to zoom in and define: (a) specific touchpoint nuances - the what, the why, and the how (b) specific handoffs or entry ways between touchpoints For profitable distribution with long term content planning, operations should be governed by the above. This takes a lot of upfront work, but is worth it in the end.

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Hot take: You CAN'T build brand evangelists or a long-term successful content strategy on the hype cycle alone. It's painfully transparent to customers when content suffers from "shiny object syndrome". Think about how everyone became a generative AI expert last year. You can't growth hack your way to expertise. Yes, think about impact and virality, but make sure the long-term OUTCOME is what you want to achieve. Otherwise, short-term results look good at board meetings, but ultimately don't show up on the balance sheet. I offer end to end content strategy and writing that works for now AND the next generation of content. Are you a creative marketing leader who wants to keep achieving their goals in a sustainable way? Message me.

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You know what's *never* a fun topic? Crisis communications. But you know what's so, so much worse than talking about it? Getting blindsided by a crisis, and having to put together a strategy, team, and messaging alllllllll on the fly and under significant stress. Trust me: putting together a plan isn't as difficult of an exercise as you may think, and you'll come out the other side feeling SO much more confident about the future. Here are the major keys: 📕 PREPARATION: Every company should have a solid crisis communication plan. It’s not about if a crisis will happen; it’s about when. A clear, pre-approved communication strategy can make all the difference. 🔎 TRANSPARENCY: In a crisis, honesty builds trust. Employees, customers, and stakeholders need to know what’s happening, what you’re doing about it, and how they will be impacted. (Even if you don't have anything new to share, saying something is better than saying nothing at all.) In my experience, those who communicate effectively in a crisis not only manage the situation but also come out so much stronger on the other side. It's about guiding your team and your organization through the storm with clarity, empathy, and resilience. (Don't want to write a crisis communications plan from scratch? I'll send you our template & a completely filled-out example! ✅ ) #crisiscommunication #internalcommunication

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<rant> For most of my life, I made my living as a writer. I've never particularly been a "grammar N*zi," and I've always welcomed linguistic evolutions that rankle other, more prescriptive, writers. But. I've noticed a recent trend that drives me bonkers. This one. Y'know, where every sentence in a LinkedIn post or Substack note is a standalone paragraph? I get why people do it. It encourages people to click through to see the whole post. And it's a cheap way to make each sentence seem important. And maybe, for some, it makes it easier to read. (I can't even fully commit to the bit, so I'm going to stop this nonsense.) I'm all for brevity, conciseness, and directness. After all, I'm a journalist. But while the occasional one-sentence paragraph does lend more weight to the idea it conveys, writing an entire post that way has the opposite effect: In order for emphasis to be effective, it has to stand in contrast to everything around it. The Pixies made a whole career out of that approach to music. But whatever your reason for separating all your posts into single-sentence paragraphs ... Just stop. </rant>

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Paul Knegten decided not to lay out what the "Bad" content marketer looks like in his latest newsletter. But I 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, it would go 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠...like 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: "Using a combination of ChatGPT and SEO keyword analysis tools, these people generate topics for blog posts that none of their customers have asked for, are searching for, or would ever care about. Once a fresh new piece of crap is published, they blast it out into the world through a company newsletter with a 14% open rate and social channels that their target buyers don't actually use. They spend a lot of time adapting zero-personality, non-differentiated content into different formats of zero-personality, non-differentiated content. They use title case as much as possible, because People Talk Like This at Work, And We're More Trustworthy When We Talk Like This, Wouldn't You Agree? They try to convince you that traffic growth should be the main metric of Content Marketing success, and when traffic plummets they try to convince you that search impressions should be the main metric of success, and when search impressions plummet they start talking about the 'dark funnel.'" Anyway, read Paul's latest newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gVv2R6t9

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8 Quick Pinterest Hacks for Creative Entrepreneurs to Get Big Results in Less Time 🚀 Want to maximize your Pinterest impact in under 10 minutes? These small but effective tweaks can increase visibility, engagement, and traffic—no long hours required. Check out these easy ways to optimize your Pinterest strategy! 👇 1️⃣ Keep Your Username Consistent Across Platforms Using the same handle across platforms helps your followers find you more easily. If you’re “@YourHomeDesign” on Instagram, keep it the same on Pinterest. Consistency builds familiarity and reinforces brand trust. 💼 2️⃣ Match Your Profile Picture for Better Brand Recognition Make it easy for people to recognize you! Using the same profile picture across all platforms reinforces brand recognition. It’s a small detail, but it can have a big impact. 📸 3️⃣ Use a Content-Focused Keyword in Your Profile Name Think of your profile name as your Pinterest headline. Rather than just using “Home Decor Consultant,” try something like “Modern Home Decor Ideas” to make it searchable and valuable to those looking for ideas. 🔍 4️⃣ Claim Your Website for Credibility Claiming your website domain on Pinterest signals that it’s your official site, boosting credibility. This one-time setup has lasting benefits, helping Pinterest prioritize your content. 🌐 5️⃣ Align Board Titles with Pin Titles for Better SEO Use your board’s title as part of your pin title. If your board is “Boho Living Room Ideas,” use the same phrase in pin titles. This tells Pinterest exactly what your pins are about, improving your reach! 📌 6️⃣ Repurpose Blog Meta Descriptions for Pin Descriptions Running out of time to write pin descriptions? Grab the meta description from your blog post! Just add a few keywords to make it Pinterest-ready—it’s a quick way to keep your pins SEO-optimized and engaging. 📝 7️⃣ Create a Custom 404 Page to Keep Visitors Engaged Old or broken links are inevitable. Customize your 404 page to provide helpful redirects or display popular posts, so if a Pinterest user lands there, they’re more likely to stay on your site than bounce away. 🚦 8️⃣ Check Trending Keywords Before Pinning Want to stay relevant? Type in a topic like “home decor” on Pinterest to see popular keyword suggestions. Adding these trending terms to your pins increases visibility, making it easier to attract clicks and engagement. 🔥 🚀 Get instant access to my most powerful strategies for cutting-edge Pinterest growth hacks and strategies! No holds barred 💥 👉 https://lnkd.in/eM8-_f5Z #PinterestTips #DigitalMarketing #Entrepreneur #HomeDecor

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Two questions: A) What are you doing differently this year to create non-replicable content? B) Have you read about the content gap yet? We talked to 400+ marketers (of all stripes) to understand how the role of content is changing within GTM. 👀 https://lnkd.in/eNKjaN-Z

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Event season is heating up. I won’t lie. I have a bit of FOMO. #MAICON24 was last week, HubSpot #inbound24, #Obsession2024 and so many others are around the corner. If you know me, you know I love going to events, meeting new folks and networking. There is always great food, and very likley a baseball game at the end of the festivities. Now as much as I wish I could be at all these events, I know it’s not possible….. but in some ways I now I can…. That’s why I’m so excited to work on MatchPoint. This isn’t some marketing bullshit. (Can I swear on LinkedIn? Hi mom 👋) MatchPoint is the tool I wish I had on every business trip. From being stuck on a layover, to finding some last minute dinner plans or somone who wants to explore the city befor the event begins - MatchPoint is at your side. You’re in control when you want to find a match, and it uses our technology to magically match you with people based on professional and personal interests. (Over 20+ data points). What’s most important to know is the team behind it are all people who love events. What we have built will revolutionize in-person networking at events, around events and even travel to events. Whenever you’re open to expand your network and meet folks, MatchPoint is there. No more going to an event with 5,000 people and missing those 3 or 4 people you should have met. Now if you’ve read this far, come on with one more step and join us on the journey. You can get the app now on iOS or Android here: https://lnkd.in/giR9NsGb It’s free for everyone, including event organizers who want to list their events. I hope you enjoy using it as much as our team is enjoying building it. And if we are in a city at the same event make sure we connect. I’d love to grab a drink, catch a game and talk about marketing, community, AI or the future of technology. See you out there!

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Klaviyo's annual benchmark report is here, and it's a goldmine for retention marketers! Here's a quick summary of what you can expect to find: 💬 - Invest in SMS ⚙️ - Automated Flows are driving growth faster than consistent campaigns. 🤖 - Ai is everywhere. (We already knew this) For more details and industry benchmarks, check out the report here: https://lnkd.in/e2AYTYVs. Don't miss out on these nuggets of information! #benchmarks #email #retentionmarketing

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Transcription has never been easier or more accurate. Now you can also derive insights to understand the content and it's all right there in your workflow. No need to copy and paste from some generic tool.

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🎶 The weather outside was frightful And my content plan not so delightful With nowhere to spend my (last quarters) dough Let it snow let it snow let it snow (Record stops abruptly) Anyway … If you are looking for a little bit of help with your content calendar planning for 2025, or extra writing support send me a DM. I offer one-one content strategy consults that help create content clarity for mid to enterprise scale businesses and content departments. (Yule) not regret it when you get in touch. (Puns included)

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For content strategy work, I've been experimenting with offering a minimum retainer vs. a set package of hours that leads to a retainer once the max is reached or if it's determined the project is too complex to fit within that package. I figure this will allow for simpler ad-hoc projects, while also identifying fairly quickly the scope of work that is valuable from a client perspective. It also limits being beholden to an hourly rate for too long and getting into an endless game of catch up and penny pinching. #freelance #consulting #contentstrategy

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